By: Sarah Grace Kubasek
In classrooms across the nation, students are still asked to recreate California missions—structures steeped in a history of cultural genocide—an act that Zeph Schnelbach, 21, of the Eastern Band of Keetoowah, Cherokee, and Sicangu Lakota Nations says is a troubling reminder of how colonial narratives persist in education today.
For Native students, the misrepresentation, or complete erasure, of their culture in school curricula isn’t just offensive; it has real consequences. Cindy La Marr, former executive director of Capitol Area Indian Resources Inc., and nationally known Indian educator from Pitt River and Paiute Nations says many of her former mentees have been discouraged by the erasure of their culture in public school curriculum, with even one student dropping out after standing up to a professor who refused to call the erasure of her culture a genocide.
La Marr’s experiences as an educator and a mentor highlight how deeply cultural minimization can impact native students and their sense of belonging—or lack thereof—in academic spaces. For Candance Gregoire-Pierson, 19 , those impacts came early; her first introduction to Native American history came during a school field trip, where her teacher directed the class to pose and smile in front of a mission. “It felt like we were romanticizing a place tied to so much pain for Native people,” she said, highlighting how the teacher’s actions glossed over the site’s tragic history. For Gregoire-Pierson, the education system often perpetuates colonial narratives while neglecting the resilience and contributions of Native communities. It was in her Native American studies classes at UC Davis that Gregoire-Pierson first felt her heritage truly valued in an academic sphere.
Beyond the classroom, Gregoire-Pierson is also helping to amplify Native voices through her work with The Nest, UC Davis’s Native American student-run newspaper. Through her role, she helps provide a platform for Native students to share their stories, experiences, and perspectives on important issues. It’s a way for us to resist the erasure of our culture in academic spaces, Gregoire-Pierson says, The Nest is an opportunity for Native students, like herself, to see themselves and their communities reflected, not just in the history books but in the everyday conversations happening around us.
These educational shortcomings leave many native students feeling isolated and burdened with the responsibility of correcting misinformation and erasure. However, “It’s not every kid’s job to be the warrior that people think we need,” Schnelbach says.
The fight to reform how Native American history is taught in K-12 schools in California has been ongoing for decades, but progress remains slow. Teachers still teach Columbus as a hero and missions as benign institutions, perpetuating harmful myths about the colonization of Native peoples. La Marr has been working on the issue for over 25 years, championing a bill signed by Governor Newsom that requires schools to introduce curriculum from a Native perspective, and no longer requiring the mission projects for fourth graders. “It’s a huge step forward, but change takes time,” she says. The bill has no set timeline for implementation, but activists like La Marr hope that by educating teachers on new curriculums and practices, this change can have a meaningful impact on future generations.
Schnelbach echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that while legislative changes are important, true reform requires a shift in mindset. “You can change the curriculum, but if teachers and students don’t understand why the change matters, those colonial narratives will still dominate,” they said. For Schnelbach, the fight is not just about correcting the record but ensuring that Native students see their culture and history valued. “Every time we speak up, every time we exist unapologetically in these spaces, we’re resisting that erasure,” they said.
As the demand for reform grows, the need for action on the ground becomes increasingly urgent. La Marr, Schnelbach, and Gregoire-Pierson are part of a collective movement pushing for a more accurate and respectful portrayal of Native American history in schools. While legislative measures, like the bill signed by Governor Newsom, mark an important step forward, true change requires more than policy alone—it requires systemic education and cultural shifts within school communities.
Schnelbach’s words serve as a rallying cry for the next generation, urging them not only to benefit from these educational reforms but to take an active role in shaping the narrative. “When we show up unapologetically in these spaces, we assert our right to exist, to be seen and heard for who we are,” they said. By demanding recognition through presence, education, and persistence, the movement to decolonize the classroom moves closer to a reality where Native students no longer have to fight for their history to be respected. In this ongoing fight, every small victory, every conversation, and every moment of visibility brings us one step closer to honoring Native voices and histories, not as an afterthought, but as an integral part of our shared story.
